desolated

past tense of desolate
as in destroyed
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of totally desolated the city with aerial bombs

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolated
Verb
  • Among them was Eilene Oken, 38, who walked through what used to be her neighbourhood, only to find her home completely destroyed.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Just under two million Palestinians—virtually the entire population of Gaza—have been displaced since October 2023, many repeatedly, and Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 percent of homes in the Strip.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • An old fur coat or feather stole could also be ruined.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Cash is king right now, Hsia said, and the AFJ is matching up to $1 million in donations that will go toward things such as new roofs for houses whose roofs were blown off and new furniture after many people's belongings were soaked through and ruined.
    Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Residents of Kingston, Jamaica, were already dealing with floodwaters on Friday, as concerns are growing that the impact could be the worst since Hurricane Gilbert devastated the island in 1988.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
  • This happened when Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last year.
    Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Bonner's father worked at the Product Development Center — part of which Bonner demolished to make way for the new World Headquarters building.
    Jamie L. LaReau, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The ballroom project has stirred controversy, as the East Wing, home of the First Lady’s staff and long a grand entrance for White House events, was demolished to make room for the new ballroom.
    Kate Wolffe October 30, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The strength to sit with what shattered before building what’s next.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Over the years, he's developed a reputation for flying vintage airplanes, even after suffering a near-death plane crash that left his right ankle and pelvis shattered and his back broken in March 2015.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In 1816 the stratosphere was saturated with Tambora’s dust, and sea ice nearly wrecked Scoresby’s ship off the eastern coast of Greenland.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • If Matt had wrecked his bike, broken his collarbone, or been whacked by a car, the decision would be easy.
    Maggie Slepian, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Desolated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolated. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.

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